Congregation for Sacred Doctrine
The Congregation for Sacred Doctrine is an independent religious research organisation responsible for managing the creation, editing, revision, evaluation, and publication of the Codex of Hours, Codex of Rites, and Codex of Scripture, and other sacred texts. The congregation serves as the evaluative body of the Church for determining the doctrinal validity and acceptability of sacred texts; and, consequently, only texts which bear the imprimatur of the congregation are definitively certified as being free from heretical or otherwise contrary doctrine. The Congregation for Sacred Doctrine certifies as faithfully orthodox in doctrine all those organisations which only employ scriptual texts approved by the Congregation for Sacred Doctrine To this end, guilds and organisations may request Congregational certification. A list of Congregrationally-approved organisations is made available to the public. In addition to its oversight of texts and liturgical practises, the congregation also devises and refines the liturgical practises of the church, publishes the annual liturgical calendar (missal), and handles matters associated with the beatification, causes, and sanctoral celebration of saints insofar as they are recorded in the sanctoral martyrology. The congregational motto is e Luce veritas (From the Light, Truth), visible on the congregational imprimatur. CSD-Certified Organisations The following organisations have notified the Congregation for Sacred Doctrine that they only utilise scriptural texts which have been approved by the Congregation. Consequently, these organisations are certified "faithfully orthodox in doctrine" by the Congregation for Sacred Doctrine: - Azeroth Missions Society - Clergy of the Holy Light - Crimson Cross - Section IX - Remnant of Lordaeron Orthodox members of the Church of the Holy Light may be assured of the orthodox, faithful, and free-of-error basis of the ecclesiastical matters conducted by these organisations or groups. History As the defenders of orthodoxy for the Church of the Holy Light, the Congregation for Sacred Doctrine has been the ecclesiastical home to Archbishops and saints. Originally, the Church of the Holy light assigned scribes and priests to work with scriptural texts on an ad hoc basis. However, by the year 600 K.C., the amount of textual work was sufficient to require a more permanent organisation. This organisation was initially comprised of scribes and priests who answered directly to the Archbishop. These scribes and priests were spread over a disparate area, and met only when convenient or by chance, each utilising what scriptural resources were available in their churches, abbeys, and monasteries. In 610 K.C., the congregation requested the creation of an internal authority, originally known as a prefect (later known as the 'rector of the congregation'), to oversee and organise its collective efforts. The first prefect of the Congregation for Sacred Liturgy was Mellar Servus (later Archbishop Columban V), appointed by the senior bishop, Johannes Moorwhelp (later Archbishop Alonsus II). Mellar's prefectship saw a rapid expansion in the textual production and editorial activity of the congregation, and was notable also for the appointment of Caspius Greenleaf (later St. Caspius) to the position of expert (later known as a "scholar-priest"). After his election to the archepiscopate, Columban V appointed Caspius Greenleaf to the position of prefect. After Caspius' death in 623, Columban appointed Caspius' son, Caspius Eustasius Greenleaf (later Archbishop Caspius), as the prefect of the congregation. Archbishop Caspius remained prefect pro tempore after his election and until his abdication, followed by the archepiscopate of Alonsus II. In Decreta II: Crowning Dawn, Archbishop Alonsus II dictated that the Congregation for Sacred Liturgy and the Congregation for the Dwarven Rite should be merged in purpose under the prefecture of Benegrim Ironbrow, creating the Congregation for Sacred Texts. Several months later, Alonsus replaced Benegrim as prefect, appointing instead Dom Aderic Guaranger. Unfortunately, Dom Aderic died shortly thereafter. He was succeeded by the appointment of his former assistant, Dom Michael Nicolls, in early 624 K.C. It was in the spring of that year, when Archbishop Caspius returned as Archbishop emeritus, that Archbishop Alonsus appointed his archepiscopal predecessor as an expert to the Congregation. In early 625 K.C., Archbishop Alonsus II, in an act clarifying the extent of the Congregation's duties, decreed that the Congregation should be placed under the personal supervision of the Archbishop, and therefrom be entitled the Congregation for Sacred Doctrine. Later in that same year, as a result of disunity that had arisen between certain factions in the Church, and in order to preserve the unbiased nature of its editorial practises, the Congregation strongly reaffirmed its traditional and historical independence. Although the modern Congregation tacitly acknowledges the nominal oversight of the Archbishop, it nevertheleass acts fully independently, and continues to operate on behalf of the Church of the Holy Light in this capacity, producing and editing texts for the benefit of the Church and all of its faithful. Membership Membership of the congregation consists of a Rector (formerly 'Prefect'); his designated representative, deputy, or substitute, known as the Vicar; and various supporting priest-scholars (formerly 'experts') selected by the Rector or Vicar as needed. In addition, the membership nominally acknowledges the Archbishop, ex-officio. The current members of the Congregation are: Monsignor Michael Nicolls, Rector Archbishop Emeritus Caspius, Vicar and Archbishop Alonsus Secundus, ex-officio as head of the Church. Texts Amongst other minor texts, the Congregation is responsible for producing and maintaining the following three major projects (together known as the 'Triple Codices'): - The Codex of Scripture - The Codex of Rites - The Codex of Hours OOC The Congregation produces fanon Church of the Holy Light texts for the use of roleplayers in WoW RP. These texts are not owned by any other IC or OOC individual or organisation. They are provided for the use of all players, consistent with authorial intention. Those interested in participating or contributing to the project should contact Caspius or Mellar, or visit the Congregation for Sacred Doctrine website. Organisations desiring CSD certification can notify the Congregation by submitting an alliance request to the Congregation website. CSD certification can be cancelled at will by an organisation by cancelling the alliance. Category:Holy Church Organizations Category:Organizations Category:Congregations Category:Church of the Holy Light